Sleep Tip Day 14

How much time for you is there between your final meal of the day and bedtime? Ever eaten before bedtime and had a poor nights sleep?

Experts advise against eating a full or heavy meal near bedtime. Consuming a large meal so close to sleeping can affect digestion and sleep quality. Over time, consuming most of a person’s daily food intake late in the day can also lead to obesity.

Eating too close to bedtime is also related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), also called acid reflux. GERD occurs when the contents of the stomach return back up the esophagus. The esophagus is the tube responsible for delivering food from the mouth to the stomach. When a person lies down right after eating, the contents of the stomach can press against the lower esophageal sphincter, causing irritation and acid reflux.

GERD can cause discomfort or pain, such as heartburn. Heartburn is a burning pain in the chest that usually comes up from the stomach. Other common symptoms of GERD include nausea, a sensation of food trapped in the chest, and the taste of stomach acid in the mouth.

To reduce the risk of GERD, heartburn, and related symptoms, experts recommend against lying down on the back immediately after eating. Additionally, experts advise people to avoid eating a full meal two to four hours before bedtime.

Poor Quality Sleep
Eating too much close to bedtime can affect sleep quality. Research shows that eating high-calorie meals with large amounts of fat or carbohydrates less than an hour before bedtime can extend the time
it takes to fall asleep. By contrast, eating meals high in carbohydrates at least four hours before bedtime can decrease the time spent awake in bed before sleeping.

Eating right before bed can also make a person wake up in the middle of the night . One study found that participants who ate or drank less than an hour before going to bed were much more likely to wake up after falling asleep than people who consumed something two or more hours before bedtime.

How Long Before Bed Should You Stop Eating?

While estimates vary, most experts recommend eating a meal two to four hours before bedtime. People who eat meals well ahead of bedtime have enough time to properly digest their food. Taking time between eating and lying down also reduces the risk of GER symptoms and poor sleep.

Research on the best timing for an evening snack is limited. For people managing blood sugar, experts suggest consuming a snack near bedtime. The right timing of a snack may vary among individuals and depend on the food type.

This next week we will take a closer look at the connection between sleep and nutrition.

sleepfoundation.org

We typically eat supper 4 hours before bed.

If I want a snack close to bedtime I find it’s best for me to have a hard piece of candy. It small, satisfying and not heavy. I find it also helps to lie on your left side While sleeping.

I have learned reasonly that it is best to not eat after 8 pm. When I stopped at 8 I have been sleeping better

This is such important information. I intermittent fast. I eat dinner by 6PM, maybe a bite of Keto Ice Cream or a Keto cookie by 7:30PM, bed by 10PM and my next meal is lunch around noon the next day. This is about a 17 hour fast. I wish I had better sleep in spite of these good habits, but I believe pain is the cause and hopefully after my spine surgery this will improve.

I am looking at people’s points. I have 50, but how do some accumulate 600 or 900. I do not understand. I have done every challenge, every day, and comment continually.

I eat dinner between 5-7pm. Depends on many things. Maybe 2 hrs. before sleep I have a slice of banana or something small usually with water. I stop eating & drinking then.

This is one reason why I took the LLV after I ate dinner. The Other reason was because I thought all supplements have to be taken with food, except when stated differently, like Metapower. Please clarify!

Also, which place do we write comments? Here or the other place, I can’t see/find right now, with place for topic & then comment? I’m confused.

I am looking at people’s points. I have 50, but how do some accumulate 600 or 900. I do not understand. I have done every challenge, every day, and comment continually.

It’s because they have done several of Challenges that are listed.

Managing blood sugars and not heating too late is a real struggle for me. If my sugared drip to low then I’m up during the night eating.

My last meal is around 4-5 hours before my bedtime

My last meal is 4-5 hours before bed. There are a few nights that I will eat a little bit before going to bed. It helps to have a little something in my stomach when taking the serenity soft gels.

I am currently breastfeeding and therefore eating meals and snacking all throughout the day and night. I wonder if that will affect my sleep or if it is needed in this season of life.

I need to work on this - I have a habit of snacking before bedtime.

this is always a hit or miss for us sometimes we eat by 6pm other night it not till 9 or 10. our goal is always before 8pm not that school is starting back up it will be easier to keep to that.

@nancy-gordon for this challenge we only look at points accumulated by participating in the sleep challenge. We can see that on our administrator end. The number of points you see next to people's names is the accumulative points they earned including previous challenges and courses. That is why you may see a larger number. We want to assure everyone that the other points are fantastic but won't count towards any giveaway we have for this sleep challenge. I hope that helps to clarify things. Everyone is doing so amazing and Dr. Gough and I are honored to be on this journey with you all.

@deborah-lavely you are commenting in the perfect place! You got this! You can comment on any of the posts.